Resolutions/Goals 2009

I feel I should preface this by saying that I'm not traditionally a big New Years resolution person. So why this year? I don't really know. A lot of things are things that I want to start doing, and it being the beginning of the year is a coincidence. Others are things I want to give myself stronger motivation for. Plus, for some reason, I feel like this will be a big year.

The other thing I should say, going it this, is that I don't consider any of these things law for myself. I reserve the right to chance as circumstance changes. But these are things I'm working towards, as of now.

1. By the end of the year, I will be able to do at least one pull-up, and at least 3 chin-ups. When I was nine years old or so, I was the pull-up queen. When they did our fitness tests, I did seven pull-ups, and I would have done more but they told me to stop. I want to be strong like that again.

2. Yoga in some form, every day. It doesn't always have to be a long asana practice. Some days it will just be focused breathing. But yoga had such a positive influence on my life it the past year, and I want to bring want to bring it into my life more.

3. Write every day.

4. Draw every day.

5. Cut animal products further from the things I eat. I don't see myself ever becoming a vegetarian, but I always feel better when my meat consumption is very, very small.

6. Prepare physically, emotionally, financially, for having a child. We are not planning on having kids super immediately, but it is something coming up in the next few years, and I want to be as ready as I can be. I realize you can never be entirely prepared for something that big, but I can certainly be in a better place than I am now. Which isn't a bad place at all, but there is always room for improvement. And I am now rambling, because this is something personal enough that I feel a little unsure of putting it out there. But it brings me to my next resolution-

7. Be brave. Stop being paralyzed by fear, and stop shutting other people out. Sometimes the risk of being hurt is better.

8. Start publishing (self publishing or have published by others) knitting/crochet patterns. I work mainly from patterns I devise myself. I may as well share than with others, and perhaps make some money doing so.

9. Step up art on all fronts. Life got hard this year, and I let my art slip. I think it was necessary for my sanity, but things are going better now, and art needs to come back full force.

10. Apply for more art shows. Obviously this is part of stepping up the art, but it's important enough to get its own spot. If I want my art to be seen, I need to put it places other people can see it, not just hide it away in my office.

11. Make a quilt for the bed. This is entirely fluffy and without any introspection. I just want to make a big, basic quilt for my bed. It will be awesome.

12. Start a cooking blog/Self publish a cookbook. It might be either/or, or it may be both. I love to cook, and it's another thing I want to share with the world.

13. Help Charlie do whatever it takes for him to pursue his writing. He does so much to help me devote time to art, and I want to return the favor.

14. Make new friends, and deepen existing friendships. I'm still lonely a lot of the time. I'm never going to be a naturally social person, but I can still try to connect with people more.

So yay! I am working! Towards the future!